Why Dez Bryant Must Be at Top of Vikings' Free-Agent Wish List

The chances of wide receiver Dez Bryant vacating Dallas to sign with the Minnesota Vikings during free agency this offseason is highly unlikely, but this doesn't mean he shouldn't be atop the team's wish list.

For this to even become a realistic possibility, Bryant would have to decide not to re-sign with the Cowboys, who will face salary-cap issues this offseason, and the Vikings would have to clear some cap space of their own.

If these pieces were to fall into place, however, Minnesota could really benefit from acquiring Bryant's services—even if it costs the team a contract averaging roughly $15 million per year.

Year	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Yards Per Reception	Touchdowns
2010	45	561	12.5	6
2011	63	928	14.7	9
2012	92	1,382	15.0	12
2013	93	1,233	13.3	13
2014	88	1,320	15.0	16

Bryant is not only one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, but he also offers a skill set the Vikings desperately need to add this offseason.

Over the past three seasons, Bryant has averaged 91 receptions, 1,311.7 receiving yards, 14.4 yards per reception and 13.7 touchdown catches. Based on wide receiver production over the past decade, the Vikings could only dream of rostering a player who averages these numbers.

Name	Receptions	Receiving Yards	Yards Per Reception	Touchdowns
Jennings	59	742	12.6	6
Wright	42	588	14.0	2
Patterson	33	384	11.6	1
Johnson	31	475	15.3	2
Thielen	8	137	17.1	1

Beginning with receptions, Greg Jennings has led the team with 59 and 69, respectively, over the past two seasons. The last Minnesota wide receiver to total at least 85 catches was Percy Harvin (87) back in 2011.

This relatively low number of receptions wouldn't be a concern if Vikings receivers were piling up high yardage totals, but this certainly isn't the case and actually hasn't been for quite some time:

"

#Vikings have had two 1,000-yard WRs since 2004. Rice in '09 (1,312) and Burleson in '04 (1,004). #Packers had two in 2014 - Nelson, Cobb.

— Robert Reidell (@RobertReidell) January 13, 2015"

A combined total of seven Vikings wide receivers surpassed the the 75-yard mark during games in 2014. Bryant accomplished the feat nine times by himself. Additionally, Bryant failed to record at least 50 receiving yards in a game only five times in 2014, while Minnesota played in two games during which not a single receiver surpassed the 50-yard mark.

Furthermore, the low receiving yardage totals over the past decade wouldn't be that big of an issue if Vikings receivers were finding the end zone with regularity, but again, this isn't the case and hasn't been for some time now.

The last Minnesota wide receiver to post double-digit touchdown receptions in a season was Randy Moss (13) back in 2004, and the highest total since came courtesy of Sidney Rice (8) in 2009.

While the low statistical totals alone should warrant consideration, Bryant's abilities in comparison to the ones of current Minnesota wide receivers should have the team and fans salivating at the prospect of having him wear purple.

The Vikings desperately need to add a red-zone threat at wide receiver this offseason, as Minnesota wide receivers only scored two touchdowns from inside the opponent's 5-yard line in 2014.

Both Jennings and Cordarrelle Patterson scored one touchdown apiece in this situation, but neither score came on a fade route or "jump ball."

By comparison, Bryant scored five of his NFL-leading 16 touchdowns from inside the 5-yard line.

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Bryant can flat-out go up and get the ball, as displayed in the above picture of his Week 15 touchdown reception over Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Bradley Fletcher.

While tight end Kyle Rudolph has shown in the past that he is capable of being an effective red-zone threat, it would only serve as an advantage to add a wide receiver who also possesses this capability. Also, given Rudolph's injury history, the Vikings could probably benefit from rostering more than one red-zone receiver option.

In addition to being excellent in the red zone, Bryant is lethal as a deep threat as well. Charles Johnson showed flashes of possessing this ability, but again, two are better than one—and Bryant is certainly more polished than Johnson may ever be.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bryant was targeted 28 times on passes traveling 20 or more yards in the air in 2014.

He recorded 15 catches, 539 receiving yards, eight touchdown catches, zero drops and finished the season with the league's highest catch rate (53.6 percent). By comparison, Minnesota receivers were targeted 49 times downfield in 2014, recording 14 receptions, 426 receiving yards, four touchdown catches, four drops and a 28.6 percent catch rate, which would rank 18th among wide receivers with at least 25 deep targets.

Scott Kane/Associated Press

These unfavorable statistical totals fall on Teddy Bridgewater's shoulders as well to a degree, but Minnesota wide receivers also dropped quite a few passes this season.

Jennings and Jarius Wright alone tallied a total of 10 drops on a combined 148 targets.

Bryant, on the other hand, dropped five passes on 135 targets in 2014, ranking 14th in the NFL in drop rate (5.4 percent), per Pro Football Focus—Jeremy Maclin, another free agent Minnesota should consider if the team is willing to shell out some cash for a top-notch receiver, led the NFL with a 1.2 percent drop rate in 2014.

It isn't the fact that Bryant is superior to Minnesota wide receivers that makes him a must-have for the team, but how dramatically better he is.

Referring back to Pro Football Focus, Bryant recorded a wide receiver rating of plus-121.2 in 2014, which ranked fourth behind Randall Cobb (plus-134.3), Jordy Nelson (plus-128.2) and Odell Beckham Jr. (plus-127.6).

Jennings (plus-101.6), Wright (plus-98.5), Johnson (plus-82.1) and Patterson (plus-46.9) finished 25th, 30th, 62nd and 84th, respectively, among 84 wide receivers who finished the 2014 season with at least 50 targets.

Minnesota has more pressing needs than wide receiver, and it already has a boatload of money invested in the position, but it would be insane to pass up on the 26-year-old Bryant if he were to become available to the team.

There simply is not a single impending free agent this year who would add more immediate and long-term value to the Vikings—including Ndamukong Suh, Darrelle Revis and Mike Iupati.

The Vikings could recover some cap space by parting ways with Jennings—the team would be forced to eat some dead money, however—and sign Bryant to the massive contract he has earned.

It is far likelier that Minnesota addresses its need for a tall, red-zone threat through the NFL draft (Louisville's DeVante Parker) or free agency (a cheaper option like Duron Carter of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes), but adding Bryant would potentially fill the Vikings' need at wide receiver for five-plus years.

The Vikings have found their quarterback of the future in Bridgewater. Now it is time to find him a reliable wide receiver to throw to for the foreseeable future.

Bryant isn't the most realistic option for the Vikings, but there isn't a team in the NFL which doesn't wish it could add him during free agency this March.

Statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Salary-cap and contract information courtesy of Spotrac.

For more Vikings analysis, statistics and discussion, you can find me on Twitter @RobertReidell.